


Live Only to See

by westwingwolf



Category: Charmed (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M, Ghosts, I wrote a Halloween story months before Halloween, National S'mores Day, S'mores
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 04:44:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20186479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingwolf/pseuds/westwingwolf
Summary: There are three universal truths everyone knows: A haunted house should have a ghost. Eating s'mores will make a mess. And a bed doesn’t need to be used just for sleep.When Maggie convinces Harry to join her at a haunted castle during Halloween in order to search for ghosts, they will explore each of these truths.Happy National S'mores Day!Spoilers for everything through Season 1.





	Live Only to See

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lostinmysticfalls](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinmysticfalls/gifts).

> Title inspired by Patty Griffin's "Heavenly Day"
> 
> This story was written for lostinmysticfalls in exchange for the wonderful Maggie/Harry video she made for me here: <https://youtu.be/2crlvxCwG8o>
> 
> Story inspired by our discussions about Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House and s'mores. Neither of which do you need knowledge of to enjoy this story, but I highly recommend both.

* * *

There was something magnificently calm and serene about making breakfast that Harry found uniquely pleasing. Though not as relaxing as a cup of tea and the evening paper, the activity allowed him to slow his mind a bit. In contrast to the chaos that usually surrounded his weekly activities of aiding his charges as they dealt with the latest supernatural crisis. Here in the Vera-Vaughn kitchen he was at peace. For a few moments in the day, there were no concerns except to ensure he didn’t burn the vegan sausages he was making for Maggie. Truth be told, this was one of his favorite rooms in the home due to the tranquil and soothing nature it provided in the mornings.

“Mel! Please, I’m telling you it will be a lot of fun!” Maggie’s voice could be heard moving forward down the hall.

That was until owners of said home came downstairs. All three sisters greeted Harry before taking their places around the kitchen table.

Maggie continued her pleading, “Think about it: visiting an actual haunted house on Halloween. It’s almost too perfect.”

“You mean it’s almost too cliché. All you need is a stormy night to make it official.” Mel countered with a roll of her eyes.

“Okay so the weather app did say there was a high chance of rain, but that’s not what matters.” Maggie responded.

“What matters is that I’m working the Halloween party at the Haunt tonight and couldn’t go even if I wanted to. Which I don’t,” Mel said with finality.

Maggie conceded and turned to her other sister. “Fine. How about you, Mace? Care to indulge in some ghost busting?” She asked eagerly.

Macy gave her youngest sister a sympathetic smile. “I can’t either. Did you forget I’m attending that symposium tonight? I told you about it months ago.”

Maggie scrunched up her nose in disgust. “I remembered. I just thought you might want to enjoy something more exciting than chromosoids and DNA mole whats-its.”

“I happen to think chromosomes and DNA molecules are exciting. So you are on your own for tonight.” Macy said correcting Maggie’s terminology.

Seemingly disappointed at the thought of spending the evening alone, Maggie quickly set her sights on the only other person in the kitchen. “Harry, do you want to help me search for a ghost?”

Harry looked up from the stove to answer Maggie. “As thrilled as I am to be your last resort in this endeavor, I’m afraid I too must decline. I’ll be preparing for next week’s classes.”

Maggie stood up from the table and approached the counter to stand face to face with Harry. “Come on, Har, you’re the one who is always telling me that I need to train so that my powers will expand more, and I’ll gain more control. This is the perfect opportunity to see if I can empathize with ghosts who have been around longer than a few minutes. And as my whitelighter, you should be there to monitor my progress and aid me in any magical capacity.” Maggie gave him her best pleading eyes.

Harry relented. “I find it very annoying when you use my own words against me. Very well. Where is this haunted house we’ll be visiting?”

* * *

“I can’t believe you convinced me to travel all the way to Kalamazoo to track down some ghost that isn’t even our concern at the moment.” Harry stated as he now stood in front of Henderson Castle. Not really a castle but rather a mansion. Though calling it a castle probably added to the mysterious nature of the home if ghosts truly did haunt the place.

“Will you relax? You orbed us here, and it’s not like you couldn’t orb us farther if you wanted. You could orb us to another country if we needed to, so another county is nothing.“ Harry blanched at Maggie’s statement but she didn’t notice.

Moving on, Harry continued with his inquisition. “Are you even sure this place is really haunted? Sometimes people like to imagine the supernatural where there is none. They let their desire to actually see a ghost convince them that they have seen something otherworldly when in fact there is a logical reason. Tricks of the light and shadow and so forth.”

“Says the man who died over half a century ago and still breathes.” Maggie looked at him in disbelief. “What’s your deal? You’re the one who usually explains the various supernatural entities to me, and yet here you stand acting like a muggle. “

“I am not a muggle. However, I don’t think we should be wasting our time when there are other more pressing matters that need our concern. Especially if we don’t even know if this place really is inhabited by ghosts.” Harry said exasperatedly.

“What pressing concerns did we have this week? No attacks have been made. No mysteries that need to be solved. No random magical artifacts or beings have landed on our doorstep. We have the time. And it won’t be a waste if there really are ghosts. Which is what we are going to discover. And don’t think I’m ignoring the fact you repeated my Harry Potter reference without question.” Maggie said with superiority.

Harry chose to ignore Maggie’s attempt to sidetrack him in order to continue with his own questioning. “You don’t have something else you’d rather be being doing today? Preparing for some Kappa party or something?” Truth be told, Maggie’s current behavior was as odd to him as his was to her. At least he had his reasons.

For a moment, Maggie let her emotions take over before she steeled herself. “No. This is what I want to do today. So come on.” She grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him up the steps of the mansion to the front door.

The sign on the front caught Harry’s eye. “This is a bed and breakfast?”

Maggie pulled a key from her pocket. “Yes, the previous owners milked the whole idea of a haunted bed and breakfast, but the current owner isn’t as keen. He acknowledges spooky happenings go on here, but doesn’t wish for them to continue. So I convinced him that as a paranormal exterminator, I could eliminate his ghost problem in exchange for staying here for free. We have the whole place to ourselves.”

At Harry’s incredulous look, she continued, “What?! I could be a paranormal exterminator. Or at least help whatever ghosts are here move on. That is what I’m supposed to be using my powers for, right?”

“Theoretically, but sometimes ghosts have no intention of moving on. Think of that sorority ghost you encountered last year. Did she seem like she had any intention of quietly going away?”

“Then I’ll kick the asses of whatever angry spirits might be here just like I kicked the ass of that fashion reject.” Maggie said with a satisfied smirk as she opened the door and led Harry into the foyer of the mansion.

To his left, he could see the area for check-in: a few ornate chairs for guests to sit while they waited and a long desk with a computer sitting atop. Behind the desk was an open doorway for an employee area. To his right was a wide living room. A few comfortable chairs were spaced evenly facing a bookcase on one half of the room. On the opposite he saw the back of a sofa facing toward a rather large fireplace. Much like the manor back home, a large staircase to the second floor stood in the foyer. Only this staircase was wider and placed evenly in the middle of the hall with entrances to the second floor on either side. On either side of the staircase were hallways that led to different rooms in the mansion.

As they moved further into the mansion they took further notice of the grand designs, opulent furniture, and the landings for the second and third floors.

“Wow! I mean I know my home is big and nice and all, but this place is… wow!” Maggie exclaimed.

“Definitely wouldn’t have to stay in the attic in this place.” Upon Maggie’s annoyed look, Harry quickly said, “Not that I don’t enjoy staying over on occasion. Just that it would be nice to have my own designated room.”

Maggie began moving through the living room to explore. “Pitch in for groceries and utilities, and we’ll see about cleaning out the spare bedroom for you.”

“I knew you had another bedroom!” Harry followed the sound of her laughter to a dining room that was connected on the other side of the living room. The place was large enough to be considered a ballroom. Perhaps he was wrong in his earlier assessment. This place could conceivably be a castle.

“So they’ve got a dining room, a bar, a spa, ten bedrooms, and a carriage house which has been converted into two more rooms. Plus its own vineyard.” Maggie informed him. “Any and all of which could be haunted.”

“Then we should get started. Do you sense any spirits? I’m not seeing anything.” Harry searched around the room as if expecting a ghost to appear on command.

“By all accounts, they only appear at night.” Maggie turned back into the living room and headed toward the stairs.

Following her closely, Harry rolled his eyes at the information. “Ghosts that only appear at night? Well, isn’t that convenient if far too unrealistic for what we know from experience.”

“I don’t know why they only appear at night. Maybe that’s because the veil between the living and the dead is so thin that that’s when they can be seen by muggles.” She really wasn’t going to let Harry think she had forgotten.

“That makes sense for the average person, but as you well know, we are not average. We should be able to see a ghost day or night.” Harry was certain he’d won the argument.

“Maybe the ghosts are hiding from us because your negativity is upsetting them. Ghosts react to emotion, and your emotions aren’t being very welcoming.” Maggie smiled when Harry reluctantly conceded to her point. 

“Fine. But either way, why didn’t we just wait to come here at night when the ghosts would most likely make an appearance?” Surely, they didn’t need to bother if the ghosts weren’t going to make an appearance.

Maggie looked at Harry as if he were crazy. “Hello! Have you ever seen a horror movie? You don’t enter a scary, haunted house at night. Not without familiarizing yourself with the place first. We have to check all the rooms to make sure ax murderers aren’t hiding in them. “

“Now you’re just mixing your horror genre themes.” Harry replied with a shake of his head.

Together they entered a room filled with beautiful hand-carved wooden furniture including a large king sized bed. The room had its own bathroom and a fireplace adorned with windmill knick-knacks chosen for a room appropriately titled the Dutch room according to the plaque on the door.

What Maggie seemed to be focused on were the two large floor-to ceiling-mirrors especially the one placed right in front of the bed. “I think those mirrors will definitely enhance the pleasure of staying here. “

Choosing not to engage her any further, Harry walked out and moved on down the hall. Not to be deterred, Maggie followed “I’m saying because you can see…”

Harry cut her off. “I understood what you were saying. Let’s move on, shall we?” He opened the door to the next room and waited for her to enter first.

Apparently the recent owner had chosen to decorate each room in the style of a specific country because this room was called the French room. While slightly smaller in size, it too had its own bathroom and fireplace. However, the decorations included marble cherubs, a painting of the Seine, and a pair of high back throne style chairs.

“It’s pretty, but I think I want something a little more grand. Something that says it is fit for a queen.” Maggie stated as she walked out of the room.

“Oh, yes. That’s exactly what I look for when choosing a room.” Harry said sarcastically.

“You plan on sharing my bed tonight, Har?” Maggie teased.

“No! That is not what I meant.” Harry quickly sputtered. Calmly, he continued. “I meant that I will be looking for a room more tailored to my taste. To stay in. Alone.”

“Right. Maybe they have a designated English room around here. Uptight, pompous and smells faintly of tea.” Maggie replied as she opened the door to another room.

Without bothering to look at the room first, Harry answered, “I only smelled like tea that one time because you spilt some on me.”

“Notice you didn’t bother to deny the other descriptions.” Maggie said as she explored this room with colorful tapestries hanging on the walls. The furniture was made from a darker mahogany wood as opposed to the lighter wooden furniture in the previous rooms. Paintings and decorations beautifully enhanced the Asian influence of the Tibetan room. Its best feature was perhaps the multi-colorful patterned ceiling. Though this room did also have its own bathroom, it didn’t have a fireplace. She wanted a room with fireplace.

Maggie walked back up the hall to cross over to the other side of the mansion passing back by the grand staircase as she did so. Harry had been oddly silent while they made their way to the next room. Finally, she turned to look at him.

“You don’t really think I’m pompous, do you?” He asked worriedly.

“No, you’re much more down to earth than that. And you’re only uptight when you’re on that whole ‘stay vigilant’ kick.” Maggie assured him.

Harry accepted this as they entered what was dubbed as the Italian room. “So apparently, this was the original owner’s room. That might make it more likely to be haunted.” Maggie informed him as she walked farther into the room which had a larger sitting area than the other rooms. The desk might very well have been Henderson’s original desk. She touched it hoping to get an empathic vibe coming from it. She shook her head at Harry who was waiting expectedly.

She glanced at the ornate dresser in consideration before walking over to the king sized bed instead. Touching the iron frame, for a moment she became flushed with heat. Not the kind of heat from temperature but more from desire. She let go of the frame in surprise and looked over to Harry who appeared to be intently inspecting the armoire next to the door. She moved passed him to search the bathroom. Only taking note of the Jacuzzi tub, she walked back out and made to leave the room. Pausing only for a moment when she felt the heat again as she passed between the bed and where Harry was currently standing.

“Do you feel that?” she asked. He shook his head.

She pulled him closer to the spot she was standing in. There wasn’t much space between them as she held onto his hand hoping she might be able to channel what she was feeling to him. “The heat, do you feel it?”

Harry nervously swallowed before asking, “What kind of heat exactly am I supposed to be feeling?”

“It’s like this all consuming need. An intense desire. I feel it coming from the bed. You sure you don’t feel that?” She asked disbelievingly. It was so powerful. How could he not feel it?

“From the bed?” Harry took a moment to think. “No, I don’t… I don’t feel anything coming from the bed.” He pulled his hand out from Maggie’s grasp and backed away to put some distance between them. “Shouldn’t we be feeling cold from a ghost?”

Maggie crossed her arms and shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe. But maybe this isn’t a regular ghost. All I know is it happened when I first touched the bed. And if this feeling isn’t coming from me or you, then it must be from a ghost.”

“Possibly. We should move on and see if you can pick up other oddities.” With that Harry walked out of the room without waiting to see if Maggie would follow.

Maggie took a moment to wonder why Harry’s behavior was so awkward just now. He’d been so careful around her lately. She had actually wanted to ask him to join her on this trip first, but felt certain he would make an excuse as to why he couldn’t come along. She felt as though they hadn’t had enough adventures together. And she did think he would be eager to help with her training. He had been very helpful to her these past few months but only if Mel & Macy were also around to train as a group. Each time she attempted to set up a session without them, he would insist on inviting them along. He wasn’t even this awkward around Macy anymore. In fact, he had gotten over those weird feelings within a week. Owing it to the intensity of the situation at the time. She wished she knew what was bothering him, but she promised to abide by his rule of not reading his mind unless asked. She was getting better at respecting everyone’s boundaries while still maintaining the need to cautiously read people.

She found him in the next room over, designated the Victorian room, sitting on the sofa quietly reading a book he must have discovered on the bookshelf that surrounded the green marble fireplace. He didn’t even to bother to look up as she entered. She wouldn’t let him get away with that. “Oh yeah, this is definitely more your style. Old and stuffy. Plenty of space in the closet for all the cardigans you packed. You should feel right at home here. And look there is even a second bed in here in case you get scared of the ghosts. But I insist on taking the bed that faces the TV.” Truth be told, it was actually quite a beautiful room. In some ways better than the others they’d seen, and if she wasn’t so frustrated with him at the moment, she might have chosen this room to stay for the night.

Still not looking up from his book, Harry replied, “I didn’t pack all my cardigans, and I didn’t pack nearly as much clothes as you did. How long do you expect us to stay here?” 

“As long as it takes to deal with the ghosts and for you to stop ignoring me!” Maggie yelled in desperation.

At this Harry looked up sharply. “I’m not ignoring you. I’m here like you asked. I’ve given my opinions and advice on everything.”

“You mean you’ve discounted this place being haunted from the start, and even now will only grudgingly accept the possibility that it might be. And I shouldn’t have had to ask. As soon as I said anything, you should have been ‘Oh a haunted house, jolly good! We must investigate this straight away. But stay vigilant! No telling what dangers await.” She mocked him in her best attempt of an English accent.

Offended, Harry stood to face Maggie. “I don’t sound anything like that.” As she lifted her brow, he conceded, “Well maybe a little, but my accent is better.” He paused before continuing. “You may also have a point. I could certainly be more open-minded about this endeavor.”

Maggie cast her eyes downward at the hardwood floor. “I just feel like we haven’t been as close as we were a few months ago.” Gaining the courage to look him in the eyes again, she quietly asked “Am I wrong?”

Harry looked ashamed. “No. You’re not wrong. I have been rather lax in our friendship. I’ve had a lot of things on my mind lately, but that’s no excuse. And I’m sorry you bore the brunt of it.”

“Okay. So does that mean you’re willing to be more enthusiastic on our ghost hunting adventure?” She asked tentatively.

“Yes.”

“And we can stay up all night telling ghost stories.”

“Fine.”

“And when we get home, you’ll let me update your wardrobe.”

“Don’t push it.”

She took hold of his arm as they walked out of the room and down the hall to the next room. “Come on, just a couple of pieces. I swear nothing too flashy. I’ll even let you have final approval.”

“Oh, how magnanimous of you giving me final approval of my own clothes. “ He steered them into the room taking note that the final room on this floor was called the Maple Tree room. Quite a change in name from the other rooms they’d seen. Certainly the smallest of all the rooms, it did possess a comfy and cozy nature. The bed appeared to take up most of the room. Whereas the Victorian room would allow for them to share the room comfortably, this one would ensure its occupants had no interest in mind other than staying in bed. Perhaps only leaving to enjoy the Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Ideal for a couple on their Honeymoon, but not at all right for Maggie and Harry’s ghost hunting purpose.

The space was so tight that as Maggie moved toward the window to look at the view, Harry was caught by surprised and turned suddenly losing his balance. He managed to slip and fall back onto the bed. In his haste to catch himself, he took hold of Maggie’s arm. She ended up falling on top of him. They were both silent for a moment until the absurdity of the situation caught up with them, and they began to laugh.

As their laughter subsided, they became all too aware of their proximity. Somehow their legs had remained entangled so Maggie’s efforts to move quickly off Harry were hindered. She apologized as she moved slowly so as to not accidentally hit anything Harry would consider valuable. When she finally got off from the bed, Harry was still taking his time to lift himself up.

“I think I’ll go ahead and check out the rooms on the third floor.” She said as she began walking out of the room.

“Good idea. I’ll be right along. I just need a moment to… uh… catch my breath.” Harry called after her. When she was out of sight, he fell back onto the bed. He chastised himself for the thoughts he allowed himself to have while Maggie was still laying on top of him and prayed that she hadn’t heard anything. Taking a few calming breaths, he finally relaxed and left the room to follow Maggie upstairs.

He found Maggie in another small room with a sloped ceiling entitled the Vineyard room. This time he wisely chose to remain on the other side of the door as she quickly examined the room. Determining nothing of interest beyond the Jacuzzi tub, she walked out and passed by him to further explore the rest of the castle. Apparently there was an actual ballroom on this floor. However, as the space was mostly empty to accommodate whatever functions were to take place at any given time, they moved on the other bedrooms.

Each of the towers of the castle had a bedroom appropriately named the King’s Tower and the Queen’s tower. Though Maggie had mentioned wanting to stay in a room fit for a queen and liked the idea of sleeping inside a turret; she decided to pass on this room because of its smaller size and the fact that she was still interested in sleeping in a room with a fireplace. She refused to tell Harry exactly why she needed a fireplace. Just that she needed one. 

The final rooms offered nothing of substance either in finding a place to sleep or searching for a ghost. Opting not to bother exploring the cottage house as the ghostly sightings had been relegated to the main house; they decided to go back down to the Victorian room. The separate beds were accommodating, and it would be useful to be near one another should any ghost make an appearance. 

As they settled into their room, Maggie stated she was hungry and because it was getting dark, they should start a fire. She retrieved the sandwiches and cooler they had packed and took the blanket from her bed to place it in front of the fireplace where Harry was currently building a fire. Once he was done and with their makeshift picnic cloth in place, they began to eat their food. In just a little bit of time, Maggie had also convinced Harry to remove his jacket and shoes to get comfortable.

When dinner was finished, Harry asked Maggie what she knew about the specifics of the haunting. Turning off the lights so the firelight would cast a warm glow, Maggie felt she had set the perfect atmosphere and began her tale. “In 1895, Frank Henderson was a rich businessman who built this house for his wife Mary. At least that’s what he claimed. In truth, he wanted the entire town to know his wealth so he felt he needed a grand castle to lord his position of power over all the townspeople. He spent so much time perfecting this house down to the last miniscule detail that he neglected his beautiful wife. Ignored and heartbroken, she in turn took a lover. When the house was finally finished, and Frank had the time to devote to his wife, it was far too late. Mary still continued with her affair. Eventually he learned the truth about Mary and her lover and decided to kill them for making him look foolish. One day, he claimed to leave on a business trip only to sneak back to the house once his alibi had been made. He caught them in bed together and murdered them on the spot. The Italian room is the Hendersons' old bedroom and is supposed to be where the deed was done.”

“In more ways than one,” Harry interjected.

“Look at you, Har, making sex jokes.” Maggie laughed as Harry started to blush.

Clearing his throat, “Yes, well, I’m guessing there is more to the story.”

Maggie nodded. “Rumor is he buried their bodies in separate locations somewhere within the expanse of the grounds. The lover was thought to be buried in the vineyard. And Mary Henderson is buried within the walls of the mansion. Supposedly, because neither can leave their final resting place, they can’t be reunited. Mary is fated to roam the halls for eternity while her true love walks among the vines. He can’t go into the castle, and she can’t leave it.” Maggie finished the tale with a tone of over dramatic sorrow.

“And the intention here is to what? Send messages back and forth between the torn lovers?” Harry asked with disbelief.

Maggie rolled her eyes. “You said you’d be more understanding.”

“I am. I’m just not sure how you plan on reuniting them without possibly digging up land or tearing down walls. Two things I’m sure you did not get permission from the current owner to do,” Harry stated with confidence.

“That’s why we’re waiting for the ghost of Mary Henderson to tell us what she wants. Maybe she will be satisfied to hear one last message from love. It’s been over a hundred years since she last saw him. That kind of wait will make anyone desperate for even the smallest acknowledgement.” Maggie said with true sadness in her voice.

Realizing Maggie’s interest in this story, and though he hated to bring up the subject of Parker, Harry thought it might be a good idea to have her talk about it. Still, he wanted to approach the topic carefully. “You know, I thought you would have chosen to spend tonight at a Halloween party thrown by your sorority. You must have thought that would be a more exciting way to spend your time.”

At first Maggie was thrown off by Harry’s abrupt change in subject, but she quickly realized to what he was alluding. A year ago, she had met Parker on this very day. Only to be blindsided by the truth about him later that night. It wouldn’t be the last time. She hadn’t heard from Parker since he left last May to deal with his demon side. No call. No text. No email. Not even a hastily sent postcard. At first, she had every intention of waiting for him. But as she spent that first month alone, she realized all the signs for why she never should have taken Parker back. Even if she allowed for the full demon version of him to be forgiven for all he had done wrong because he lacked control, it was still the half demon version who willingly went to his father. The version that promised he would be better. The version who said he didn’t want to be his father’s puppet anymore. The version she thought she had loved and loved her enough in return. Even with all the tricks and manipulations his father had pulled, if Parker truly wanted to be better, he would have remained so after Maggie had supposedly broken up with him. He put a tremendous amount of pressure on her to save him, and the letter he left for her practically blamed her for the choice he made in turning to Alistair. Removed from the intensity of the situation, she saw everything more clearly now. The way Parker claimed to love her wasn’t healthy. And it wasn’t fair to her. Now, that he had been gone for five months without word, she could honestly say that she was no longer in love with him. She only hoped that he truly had found a way to better himself. One that didn’t rely on her remaining his girlfriend.

Answering Harry’s questions, both asked and unasked, Maggie claimed, “Actually, this is exactly how I wanted to spend my night. I’m not trying to avoid anything, Harry. The truth is until just now I had forgotten about what this night meant to my former relationship with Parker.”

“Former? So you and Parker have indeed broken up?” Harry tried to ask without too much eagerness to know the answer but feared he failed miserably.

“Well, he’d have to be around for me to officially break up with him, but yes. As far as I’m concerned, Parker is no longer my boyfriend," Maggie said with finality.

“Ah! Absence did not make the heart grow fonder. That’s good. Well, not good in that obviously I wouldn’t want you to have to go through that pain. But I think you made the right choice for yourself,” Harry said with sympathy. 

“I did.” Changing the subject, Maggie asked, “So what do you think about the ghost story?”

“Well, like most old tales, it portrays the woman as either the wrongdoer or the victim. In this case, a little of both as she cheated on her husband and suffered his wrath," Harry concluded.

Maggie gave a small laugh. “You can’t help but always be the professor, can you?”

“Old habits.” Harry said with a smile.

“Okay, Professor Greenwood, I think it’s time for a treat.” She retrieved her bag and brought it back to the floor. “I brought stuff to make s’mores.” She began pulling out the requisite graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows.

“S’mores?”

“Yeah, you know the classic American treat. Perfect for sitting around the campfire telling ghost stories.”

“Two things wrong with this scenario. One: I’m not American and two: that is not a campfire.” He pointed to the fire which had died down a little since they began talking but was still the perfect temperature for toasting the marshmallows.

“Close enough. And who cares if you aren’t American. You can still enjoy chocolate, right?” She had decided to go old school and brought along two unbent wire coat hangers for the marshmallows. She handed him a coat hanger along with the bag of marshmallows after she had finished placing one on her own coat hanger.

Opening the bag, he took out a marshmallow to inspect it. “I’m assuming everything is vegan.” He didn’t try too hard to hide his disappointment.

“Yes, but since you obviously never had a s’more, it’s not like you’ll know the difference.” She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked.

Nodding in acquiescence, he placed a marshmallow at the end of the hanger. Together they began toasting the marshmallows.

“I do prefer English chocolate to American chocolate. It’s creamier and therefore melts easier.” Harry said as he watched his marshmallow start to turn light brown.

“Sorry, I wasn’t able to travel to England for chocolate. Not like I’ve ever been there before. Or anywhere really.” Maggie said with sadness as she turned the wire over to make sure the marshmallow was evenly toasted.

Harry wanted to tell her that she had in fact been to England. London was the place she had chosen to bury her piece of the necklace which held the power of the Source. After they had finished hiding the piece, she had asked him to give her a tour of the city. Even though she knew she wouldn’t remember anything from the day, she still wanted to have the experience. She thought it would be her only chance. So he had given her the grand tour. Shown her the tourist spots and his personal favorites. Both those from his whitelighter life and from some of the memories of his previous life that had been seeping through since his time in Tartarus. After what had been a very memorable day for him, she made him promise that even though he could never tell her she’d been there before, she wanted him to take her back to London to do it all over again. He swore he would when they had free time once the pressure of taking over the magical community had died down. That had been five months ago, and he hadn’t found a way to approach the idea again. Even though he was very eager to do so. How does one say “Would you like to take a random trip to London with me?”

“Harry!” He was pulled from his thoughts by Maggie calling his name. When he looked up, she was pointing to the fire. “You’re at risk of burning your marshmallow.” He pulled the coat hanger out of the fire to see that his marshmallow was a dark brown but luckily not black or burning. And it hadn’t melted off the stick.

Maggie had already prepared the graham cracker and chocolate so she held the cookie sandwich in place while he slid the wire out from in between leaving the marshmallow behind. Handing him the finished product, she waited as he took his first bite. Apparently she was eager to see if he liked it, and so he felt a little like an animal at the zoo. The snack was even sweeter than he thought it would be, but it definitely tasted good. He liked the different textures of the crunchy cracker, gooey marshmallow and melted chocolate. He couldn’t talk with his mouth full, not that he would anyway, so he only nodded and smiled to show he liked it. Pleased, Maggie began to eat her own treat.

As he had quickly finished the dessert, he contemplated making another when he was distracted by Maggie’s laughter. “Sorry, it’s impossible to eat these things without making a mess. You’ve got marshmallow and chocolate all over your face,” she said.

In vain, he attempted to clean his face with a napkin, but as Maggie’s laughter continued he was sure he kept missing spots. When her laughter had subsided, she leaned forward to remove a smudge of marshmallow from his face with her hand. After her thumb had wiped away the gooey substance, her hand remained cradling his face. They sat frozen, staring into each other’s eyes and waiting for each other to make the next move. Not sure of what impulse compelled her, Maggie moved closer to lick a bit of chocolate from the corner of Harry’s mouth.

That move lit a fire between them as Harry turned his head and kissed her. Suddenly, she was in his lap for the second time that day. Only this was no accident. The heated kisses continued as they explored each other. Both briefly wondering if the kiss would taste the same without the sweetness of the s’mores, and both were eager to test the theory later.

Stopping to catch their breaths, they shared a smile before Harry continued a trail of kisses down Maggie’s neck. Finding a stripe of melted chocolate that had dripped down her neck earlier – one that he admitted he had noticed before and had been teasing him this entire time— he licked the chocolate clean. The action creating a pulse of desire to course through Maggie causing her to moan and grind her lower half onto Harry’s hardening cock. 

Somehow through the haze of kisses and touches, Maggie had been able to remove Harry’s shirt though he hadn’t made it easy as he kept reaching for her. Harry’s hands were traveling dangerously close to her center, and as much as she wanted him to continue, she also wanted to be comfortable. She just needed a moment to concentrate on something other than the feel of him beneath her. Easier said than done. Finally, she pulled away enough to form one word: “Bed.”

“Bed?” Harry said the word as if it was foreign to him. Apparently, he had his own difficulties with blood flowing to his brain at the moment.

Maggie eased herself off of him a little to give him more room to think. But she continued resting her hands on his shoulders while his hands held her waist. Neither was in any mood to let the other go completely.

“My blanket has crumbs and chocolate all over it,” Maggie held his gaze in effort to silently communicate her train of thought.

“And you can’t possibly sleep under it tonight,” Harry said catching on.

“I definitely need a clean blanket. It could get cold.” Maggie said with fake concern.

“I wouldn’t want you to freeze. “ Harry answered in mock seriousness pretending to think hard about the situation. “Well, I guess that means you’ll have to share my bed.”

Together they stood up and resumed kissing as Harry maneuvered them back towards the bed. Along the way she took off her dress. Harry drank in the sight the firelight casting a beautiful glow across her skin as shadows formed along her near nakedness. He should be responsible and start listing the myriad of reasons going any further would be wrong. He should insist on taking the other bed. He should walk out the door and choose one of the many other rooms in the castle to sleep in for the night.

Instead, he kissed her again as Maggie reached for his belt. Both desperate to remove the final boundaries between them. Within moments they were both completely naked with him hovering above her. After nodding to assure Harry she wanted this, he slowly slid inside her. Each taking the time to adjust to the wonderful feeling. Harry was bigger than her previous partners, and Maggie was both thrilled and nervous at that knowledge. After taking a breath to calm herself, she looked up into Harry’s eyes and saw all the concern and love he had for her. She instantly felt at ease and smiled which he returned.

Together they found a rhythm, and for the first time since acquiring her powers, Maggie wanted to use them fully during sex. She trusted Harry entirely and wanted to feel what he was feeling. But she needed to know he felt comfortable opening himself up that completely to her as well. She pulled him to her for a fervent kiss, and when he opened his eyes to meets hers, she spoke to him through her thoughts as she had done several times before. Though be it in different circumstances. He agreed and suddenly a flood of emotions poured through her.

The passion.

The lust.

The love.

All there and all consuming.

And familiar. This was the heat she felt earlier that day in Mr. Henderson’s bedroom. The feeling she couldn’t place. That desire had been coming from Harry. Only now it was even more intense. 

She let all those emotions – his and her own— combine with the sensations from their bodies until it built into a wave of pleasure she could no longer contain. She could feel sheer bliss bounce back and forth between them in tantric euphoria. Just as her orgasm began to subside, she felt Harry’s own release begin which triggered another pulsing wave of pleasure.

As they came down from their high, Harry gently moved to his side. Not ready to be too far from him, Maggie curled herself beside him. For several moments they laid their catching their breaths and enjoying the comfort of languid touches. Their tactile nature presenting itself in soft caresses and gentle kisses.

Maggie was the first to break the silence. “When I invited you here, I can’t say I expected that, but I was hoping something would happen.”

“What did you want?” he asked nervously.

“I just wanted to get over the awkwardness between us from the last few months. I guess we did.”

Harry smiled. “We certainly did. Again, I’m sorry for my behavior.”

“Forget it. Just promise me it won’t happen again.” She stared him down.

“I promise.”

“Good. Because I’d hate to have to trick you again.”

“Right… wait,” Harry paused in question, “how did you trick me?”

“I knew Mel and Macy had plans tonight and were going to turn me down, so I made sure to ask in front of you because you’ve never been able to say no to me.” She was pleased to know her plan worked.

Harry scoffed. “I most certainly can.”

“When have you ever been able to deny me anything?” she asked skeptically.

“When I…” He stopped to think. Surely, there must have been a time when he hadn’t given into her request. There was that time when… no. And he must have… no, wrong again.

“You can’t think of anything, can you?” Maggie said with a satisfied smirk.

“Well, perhaps I’d be able to concentrate more if your hand wasn’t currently in the position it’s in.” Her hand had been inching lower throughout their conversation.

“Do you want me to stop?” she teased.

“No.” He leaned forward to press more kisses down her neck.

Taking great difficulty in finding her concentration, Maggie finally managed, “I noticed a walk-in shower in the bathroom. Since we still some marshmallow and chocolate on us, I think it would be a great idea to use it now.”

Harry lifted his head. “You did say I can’t deny you anything.”

Maggie laughed as she got up from the bed with Harry quickly following behind her. Stopping only to turn on the lights and douse the embers of the fire. They had almost made it to the bathroom when they heard the strains of music.

“You didn’t turn on any of the radios or TVs while we were searching the rooms, did you?” Harry asked.

“No. You?” Maggie looked at Harry with concern when he shook his head. 

Harry went into the bathroom and grabbed them each a robe. Fearful the noise would disappear if they took the time to get dressed.

They walked down the hall toward the sound. Each bedroom had a TV and radio so it could have come from anywhere. But as they moved closer to what had been Mr. Henderson’s room, the noise grew louder. When they opened the door, there was indeed a glow from the radio indicating that it had been turned on. But as they walked farther into the room, the music suddenly stopped and the radio powered down.

Harry moved forward to inspect the radio only to find that it had been unplugged the entire time. Maggie touched the device, but she felt no empathic or spiritual connection of any kind.

“Try the bed again,” Harry suggested.

“Wow! Once you get me into bed, you’ll do anything to keep me there, won’t you?” Maggie teased.

Harry gave her a slightly annoyed look, but in truth she wasn’t that wrong.

Maggie closed her eyes and touched the bedspread. There wasn’t heat like before, but a sort of sadness. Perhaps she should try to speak directly to the ghost. “Mary Henderson, is that you? Or is Frank Henderson here? Whoever is here, would you like to speak? I can help you. That’s all I want. All we want. That’s why we’re here.”

Harry encouraged her to try again.

“Maybe the ghost of Mary’s secret lover is around?” Maggie tried in a last ditch effort.

Suddenly the room began to chill, and a lamp on the desk flew across the room narrowly missing Maggie as she ducked. Harry moved quickly to see if she was okay. “Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Once certain that she was fine if not a little shaken, he said. “You didn’t mention anything about the ghosts being violent.”

“That’s because no one ever reported anything like that.” Maggie said as she moved closer into his warm embrace.

“Maybe we should stop this for now.” Harry suggested, eager to leave the ghosts alone if it kept Maggie out of harm’s way. Haunted castle be damned. The owner could learn to live with it.

“No. I want to continue.” She took a moment to calm her nerves before starting again. “I’m sorry if I upset you. I meant it when I said we’re here to help you.” She pleaded with the ghost.

The air shifted to a much calmer and welcoming atmosphere. A pale image began to appear and when fully formed the figure was that of a beautiful middle aged woman. Even though the ghost was transparent, more so than any other ghost Maggie had seen, she could still see the details of the early twentieth century dress the woman wore. And though obviously translucent, Maggie had the distinct impression that the garment would have been black if the figure wearing it had been alive. 

The ghost began to speak. “Forgive me. I truly do not wish to cause harm if I can help it. But that inane story causes me to be so infuriated that I lose all sense of myself.”

“Yes, well, you must forgive us if we have trouble believing you. You could have killed Maggie with that lamp.” Harry argued with the ghost as Maggie tried in vain to calm him down.

“You remind me so of my Frank. He would not stand for any pain to come my way.” A wistful smile formed upon her face.

“So you are Mary Henderson?” Maggie asked.

“I am.”

“And you and Frank didn’t have any marital problems?” Maggie questioned.

“On the contrary, we loved each other dearly. Ours was a marriage of true passion, devotion, and love. It was rare in my time. Especially for wealthy families. And this is why the tale of me taking another lover angers me. I never loved another even after he died. I certainly would not take another man into my bed while he was alive.” As Mary’s emotions began to rise, her image grew in sharper detail. One could almost begin to think she was not a ghost. “I must have heard that story hundreds of times over the years. More in the last half of the century. Why do people need to have salacious scandal to believe in love? Is there something so wrong with a love that is based on trust and caring?”

“Honestly, if you asked me a few months ago, I probably would have said that the uncertainty of what a partner might do makes love exciting.” As Maggie turned to look at Harry, she continued, “But now I see that being able to trust someone with your heart completely is where true passion lies. To gain strength from their love and know you’ll never be alone.” The new lovers smiled as they gazed at each other.

Until they both remembered they were still in the presence of a ghost.

Harry cleared his throat as he tried to hide his embarrassment. “Yes, well, if you did not die in such a tragic way, then why do you still feel the need to haunt this place?”

“Oh, but it was a tragedy. For ten years after my Frank died, I remained in this house. Waiting and hoping for the day when I could be reunited with him in the afterlife. I died in this very room. I felt he was still on this plane of existence. I know he was. But in the end his spirit never appeared to me, and I never left. I’ve waited over a hundred years hoping to see him again.” Mary finished sadly.

Maggie thought for a moment before asking, “Did Frank also die in the home?”

“No, he was brought straight to the hospital from his office in the city. Heart attack. I arrived too late. Nothing much could be done in my time.” Mary’s story got depressing and heartbreaking by the minute.

“So maybe his ghost is still at the hospital? Waiting all these years for you just as you’ve been waiting for him.” Maggie hoped it was true. She was a hopeless romantic, and she felt Mary had earned her happy ending.

“But I can’t leave the house. I’ve tried over the years hoping I could search for Frank. And I know he would have done everything possible to get back to me if he could.” Mary said with absolute certainty.

“Perhaps, you might be able to channel Frank’s spirit with your powers.” Harry advised Maggie.

“You think so? Even if I’m not near where he died?” Maggie asked.

“Your powers are growing. And you did want to explore what else you could do with them. Frank obviously has a strong connection to this place. I believe you can do this.” He assured her with every bit of sincerity.

“Yeah. I can do this.” Maggie nodded. “Is there an object that was around during the time Frank was living here? Something of significant value?” she asked Mary.

The spirit glided over to the chairs in the sitting area. Her hand moved through the chair she indicated. Obviously an antique but kept in good condition. “He would always read while sitting in this chair. Even if he was already at his desk working. He had to get up and move to the chair for reading. I loved to tease him about it.” Mary smiled.

Maggie walked over to the chair. In deference to Mary, she only placed her hand on the back of the chair instead of sitting in it. Plus she was worried that Frank might make himself known by sitting in his favorite spot. Maggie had come to accept a lot about her life as a witch in the last year, but she wasn’t comfortable with the possibility of sharing a seat with a ghost. 

“Frank Henderson, I call upon you to return to the home you shared with Mary. Please come back to her. She misses you.” At first Maggie thought it wouldn’t work, but as she continued to concentrate, she felt a pull. As if there was a string tied in a knot in the middle of her chest, with the other end being held taut by some unknown force. She felt a little like a fish caught on a hook. Fearful that whoever or whatever else was holding the thread would pull her out of the room and into some unearthly realm.

Then she felt Harry take her hand and give a gentle squeeze in reassurance. Holding onto his hand as an anchor to this world, she increased her concentration. Now she had the advantage and began pulling at the metaphysical cord with all her power. Gradually, the effort became easier and easier. Suddenly there was a gasp, and Maggie opened her eyes.

Frank Henderson stood in the middle of the room, as transparent as his wife Mary. And he did not seem to notice the two live companions in Maggie and Harry. No, his beloved wife was the only one he took notice of.

As the two ghosts moved closer toward each other, their pale figures began to glow brighter. As they embraced and shared a long awaited kiss, an ethereal light filled the room followed immediately by a flash. When Maggie’s and Harry’s eyes had readjusted to the darker room, the spirits of Frank and Mary Henderson had disappeared. The only proof that they had ever been there was the faint voices of gratitude before the room returned to silence. 

Again, Maggie was the first to break it. “I guess this means our work is done, and we can go home.”

“It would appear so.” Harry paused before continuing as if a thought had just occurred to him. “Though we were offered the place for the night, and it would be irresponsible of us to leave without ensuring that all ghosts have left the property. Plus, I do believe I promised you a shower. As you said, I am not one to deny you anything. “

Maggie smiled. “You know, I think this room has a Jacuzzi in the bathroom. What do you say we test it out now and save the shower for the morning?”

Harry reached for Maggie to pull her into his arms, “Do you really expect me to allow you to shirk your duties as a Charmed One, Ms. Vera?”

“Right now?” Maggie pretended to think. “Absolutely.”

“What if there is another ghost roaming the halls as we speak?” Harry asked halfheartedly as Maggie began pushing him toward the bathroom.

“Then tonight, let’s be the ones giving them a scare for a change.” Maggie said as she pulled at the belt of Harry’s robe. She grabbed both sides of the collar to pull him toward her for a passionate kiss. Soon robes were left carelessly on the bathroom floor. Heat could be felt from more than just the Jacuzzi. There was a brief moment of worry that chocolate might clog the jets.

The Henderson Castle was once again inhabited by a pair of lovers who would worship each other with complete devotion for eternity.

And Maggie and Harry were too busy making their own noise to hear the sounds of eerie screams coming from the Queen’s Tower room.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> Henderson Castle is a real Bed & Breakfast in Kalamazoo, Michigan which is supposedly haunted. The description of the castle is a mixture of photos & descriptions from the website and a bit of my own imagination. However, the ghost backstories for the original owners Frank & Mary Henderson were completely fabricated by me. Please do not haunt me. Actually, go ahead and haunt me. I've always wanted to see a ghost.


End file.
